Orlando, St. Paul, Baton Rouge, Dallas (where I live), Nice (France). After a string of recent tragedies, I, like so many people, have been grappling with feelings of shock, outrage, sadness, and confusion. I come to you today not with any answers or direct commentary, but with a request. My request involves a call to action […]
Genuine Life Blog
Dr. Jen offers food for thought in her Genuine Life blog, writing about a variety of topics with a keen focus on whole-person wellbeing.
Why Am I Not Exercising When I KNOW It’s Good for Me? The Motivation to Exercise
The results are in and the findings are clear: exercise is good for us. Yes, I know, right now, there is a decent chance you thinking to yourself, “Thank you, Dr. Obvious. We’ve known that for a long time.” Go with me for a moment! My job today is not just to peddle the idea […]
A Lazy Psychologist in the Kitchen: Veggie Frittata
Right now, you may be asking yourself, “Why is a psychologist sharing a recipe on her blog about mental health?” Good question! The answer is pretty straightforward: over the past several years, more and more research has shown that what we eat affects how we feel, both physically and emotionally. Or, to put it in […]
The Mindfulness Boost for Anxiety: The Power of Letting It Be
Over the past 10 years, I think I’ve become much more adept at treating anxiety disorders and wonder if the boost is due to adding mindfulness-based therapies into my repertoire. I have read about research demonstrating that mindfulness-based therapies are at least as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating anxiety, with some suggestive evidence […]
This Blog Is Gonna Have Typos: Reflections on Perfectionism
I often joke with my patients that there is evidence of my perfectionism hanging on my office wall in the form of my higher education degrees. You don’t have to attend graduate school, however, in order to be a perfectionist. Perfectionists tend to buy into the belief that they can always be better and do […]
“But why would I want to breathe in the bad stuff?”: A Brief Intro to Tonglen Meditation
That’s the question I often get asked when I teach a specific meditation style called Tonglen. Before I explain Tonglen meditation, think about any guided relaxation exercises you might have done in your life. Many of us have experienced guided meditations, relaxation exercises, and even yoga practices that encourage us to breathe in the “good […]
Be a Buddhist Turtle: A Mindfulness Metaphor
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be a different kind of animal? A few years ago, when I was going through a difficult time in my life, I developed the practice of trying to be like a Buddhist turtle. Yes, I know this sounds weird but go with me for a moment!
Making Changes (and making them stick!)
Greetings, and welcome to my new blog! For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been wracking my brain trying to think of a catchy topic for my first post. Blogging is a new thing for me so I’ve been trying to figure out the recipe for a successful blog. Perhaps I could even settle for […]
